Paper-folding machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets--Sheet 1.

G. REZNOR.

PAPER FOLDING MAUHINE.

No 326,785 Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

P EN EH a a gj Z i Z Z .dt torney (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. G. REZNOR.

- I PAPER FOLDING MACHINE. No. 3263785. PatentedSept. 22, 1885..

DYE N g 1 I Attorney (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

- G. REZNOR.

PAPERPOLDING MACHINE. No. 326,785. Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

III!" N I N rams. Pholo-Litflegnplwr, Wnhingtan. n. c.

5 SheetsSheet 4.

Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

G. REZNOR.

PAPER FOLDINGMAGHINE.

JJV 'VEJVTOR %0@ a z/wa I Attorney (No Model.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

G. REZNOR.

PAPER FOLDING MACHINE. No. 326,785. Patented Sept 22, 1885.

tn 2 *1 I i I l 3 1 6 g f I JJVVEJV'TOR 8 Ji'lfifi @Mt. M 4 M6Zw Attorney ira 'rn'rns a'rnnr PAPER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,785, dated September 22, 1885.

Application filed :eptembcr 18, 1884. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE REZNOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mercer, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PaperFolding Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in paper-folding machines, and is designed, objectively, to produce a device that shall be simple and cheap in construction, yet answer all the wants of an ordinary printing-oflice or similar establishment.

The device consists, as a whole, in a table supported by suitable frame-work, a feeding mechanism, and a peculiar arrangement of folding-knives and operating mechanism, the specific construction of which will be hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the anneXed drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of, respectively, opposite sides; Fig. 3, an elevation of the back or rear end; Fig. 4, a detail section showing one of the tapes in which the foldingknives work; Fig. 5, a detail plan view of the rollers between which the last fold of the pa per is made; Fig. 6, a detail showing thependant attached near the delivery-fly; Fig. 7, a rear view of a slide against which the folded papers are delivered, and Fig. 8 a side view of the same; Fig. 9, alateral section showing the mechanism operating knife No.2,the other mechanisms being omitted.

A table, A, supported by a suitable frame, receives one-half (more or less) of the paper to be folded from an extension to the front, (which is the right in Fig. 1,) which, being merely an inclined way onwhich the papers are received from the press, and forming no part of the invention, is not shown.

The necessary power is applied to the machine through apulley, B, on a shaft, 0. This shaft is properly journaled to the frame and carries two cams, D and E, respectively, each of which is grooved or channeled parallel to the periphery, as shown at F and F Conveniently placed on one of the legs is a journal-bearing carrying a short shaft having at one end an arm, G, which has an anti-friction or roller bearing in the groove F".

The other end of the shaft carries a long arm, H, extending across one side of the frame, on the outside thereof. Its end is pivotally connected to a rod, I, which is also pivoted to a casting, K, carrying the folding-knife No. 1. This casting is adapted to embrace and slide on a vertical guide rod, L, secured to the frame. The said rod L has at its lower end a spring, M, which engages with the casting when the knife is at its lowest point, easing the same and helping in a measure to start it 011 its return.

The portion N of the frame to which the rod is secured is extended above the table A and is slotted longitudinally, as shown at 0, Fig. 1. This allows knife No. 1 to be elevated sufficiently above the table to enable the paper to be folded to pass under it.

At a short distance from the butt of the arm H and pivoted thereto is a rod, P, which connects with an L-lever, p pivoted in the lower portion of the frame. (SeeFig. 3.) Thelonger arm of this lever extends upward, and is pivotally connected by a short rod,R, to a casting, S, carrying knife No. 3. The casting slides on a guide-shaft, T, journaled horizontallyin the frame, and also provided with a spring, U. Parallel cross-pieces V of the frame serve as guides for the knife. The further use of the shaft T will be hereinafter set forth.

The cam D on the drive-shaft operates an arm, IV, on one end of a shaft, X, journaled in the frame. The other end of the shaft carries two arms, Y and Z, formed integral one with the other, and extending in opposite directions but at a slight angle, as shown in Fig. 2. The arm Z connects with a lever, A, pivoted to the under part of the frame on one side, at B, by a rod, 0. The free-end of the lever A connects with the casting carrying knife No. 2 by means of a short rod, D. The guide-rod E of this knife is secured about centrally on the under side of the frame, and at right angles to the plane of travel of knife No. 1. This rod, like the others, is provided with a spring, F.

The shaft T, before mentioned, carries at the end coincident with the arm H, an arm, G, connected to a casting carrying knife N 0. 4 by a short rod, H. This casting moves vertically on a guide-rod, I, as shown in Fig. 2. The said shaft T has near its other end, 011

an extension beyond the limit of the travel of knife No. 3, an arm, K, at right angles to it. The shaft T is given a reciprocating motion by means of a rod-connection from the arm K to the arm Y.

Onthe extension of the shaft T, just beyond the arm K, is a short arm, L, with its end provided with a slot at right angles to it. By means of this slot an arm, M, carrying at its end a roller, is adj ustably secured to the saidarm L. On this roller rests normally the flattened end of a lever, N, the longer end of which is given an upward tendency by aspring, O, and is also connected by an arm, P, to a lever, B, which passes up through the table and operates a shalt, S, along its edge. This shaft carries centrally an arm, at the end of which is a pulley, T, which, when the shaft is operated, rests on a wheel, U, centrally located at the front end of the table A, and is given a rotative movement by means of the pulley V at one edge of the table and on the same shaft as the wheel U, connected by means of a belt or cord to the main driving-pulley B.

All the knives except No. 4; operate between tapes \V, which aid in the operation of folding and act as blotters should the ink in printed matter be damp or wet.

Figure 4 shows the manner in which these tapes are fastened. One end is secured on one side the slot through which the knife works, thence through a portion of the frame beyond the extent of the travel of the knife,

around a wire, X, which prevents its pulling through the passage, thence to the other side of the slot before mentioned, where it is secured by a block fastened by screws, so that its tension may be adjusted by being loosened or taken up.

On each side of the tape, at the point where the travel of the knife ends, is a spring, Y, which will retain the foldedpaper while the knife retreats, but is not strong enough to resist the force of the knife making the next fold.

The knife No. 4 passes between rollers Z, the tapes not being necessary, as the paper drops from thence to the fly A which is pivoted to the lower portion of the frame and is operated by a rod passing to it from the arm G, which at the'same time operates knife No. 4.. The fly delivers the folded papers against a rack, 13", which slides in a groove in the lower portion of the frame, and is provided with a spring, O fitting also in the groove, retarding its motion sufficiently to allow it to move only from pressure such as exerted by the fly and intermediate papers. As the fly delivers the papers, they pass under a pendant, D which is pivoted to the frame. They are prevented from returning by the said pendant, the journal-casing E of which extends on one side beyond the angle of the said pendant and acts as a stop. (See Figs. 3 and 6.) A paper having been passed upon the table by means of the pulley Tand wheel U, which engage by means of the force exerted by the spring 0. on the lever N, the flattened 'end thereof being left free by the roller at the end of the arm M passing from under it, and squared by means of adjustable stops F thereon, the knife No. 1 descends, the pulley T and the wheel U in the mean time disengaging, and forms the first fold. Knife No. 1 then ascends, leaving the paper between the tapes, and knife No. 2 travels longitudinally, forming the second fold, and then retreats. Knife No. 3 passes laterally across the machine, forming the third fold, and retreats; and then knife No. 4 descends, forming the last fold, and, dropping the paper on the fly, then assumes its original position.

It will be understood that the knives each strike the paper about centrally, and that the knives are of different lengths, No. 1 being the longest and No. 4 the shortest.

The cams D and E project in opposite directions' from the shaft, and each operate two knives, the cam E operating Nos. 1 and 3, and the cam D Nos. 2 and 4, one set of knives remaining stationary while the other is moving.

The slots through which knives Nos. 1, 2, and 3 pass are rounded at the coincident edges, so as to offer no resistance to the paper.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that no gearing of any character is used in the machine, thus greatly cheapening its construction.

The simplicity of the mechanism allows the duplication of the same in any town large enough to support a printing-office, except, possibly, the belt-pulley, which can be obtained at a large town at a small outlay.

The folding being entirely performed by knives does not crimp the folded portion, as occurs when rollers perform the operation.

The feeding device grasps the paper as though between two points, pivot-like, so that no matter how poorly the said paper is delivered to the feeder, as soon as it touches one of the guides it is squared and in proper position for folding.

The first and second knives are made adj ustable by the respective connecting-rods by which they are secured to their operating-levers, being screw-threaded, and their throw or travel thus regulated, so that different sizes of paper may be squarely and properly delivered to the third and fourth knives.

Having thus described the device, what I claim is- 1. In a paper-folding machine, a knife-operating mechanism consisting of a lever-arm attached to a folding-knife, and also to an L- lever operating a knife at right angles to the other, two knives operating to fold at the same time, substantially as and for the purpose specifled.

2. In a paper-folding machine, a knife-operating mechanism consisting of a rock-shaft carrying oppositely-proj ecting arms, one connected to a lever which operates one of the knives, and the other connected to and operating a rock-shaft on which is an arm giving a reciprocating motion to another knife, the two knives operating coincidently.

3. In a paper-folding machine, a knife-operating mechanism consisting of a rock-shaft, from which is an arm operating one of the knives, said arm being also connected to and operating a fly so as to receive the folded papers as they fall from the knife.

4. The combination, with the adjustable stops or gages on the table, of a feeding mechanism consisting of a wheel given a rotative movement by connection with the motive power of the machine, and a pulley made to engage with said wheel at proper intervals by a spring-actuated lever, and to disengage therefrom by an arm on a rock-shaft acting also at proper intervals on the said lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. A feeding mechanism consisting of a wheel on a shaft given a rotative movement by the motive power of the machine, and a pulley at the end of an arm on a rock-shaft, which is operated through a double lever by means of a spring-actuated lever, and an adj ustable arm on a rock-shaft, said arm engaging with one end of the said lever, the whole operated substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with the driving mechanism, of a rock-shaft operated thereby and provided with an arm that is connected to and operates one of the folding-knives, said shaft also being provided with an arm with a pulley at the end for operating the feed mechanism, and operating as a guide-rod for another of the folding-knives.

7. A folding-machine consisting of a suitable frame, a drive-shaft carrying cams which proj eat in opposite directions, a lever-arm operated by one of the cams, and having connection at its end to one of the knives, also being connected to an L- lever that connects to a knife that travels at right angles to the first, a double lever-arm operating a lever that connects with one of the knives, and also operates a rockshaft on which is an arm connected to one of the knives, and also to a receiving-fly, said shaft having an adjustable arm with a pulley attached, and a feeder consisting of a wheel driven by the motive power of the machine, and a rockshaft carrying a pulley at the end of an arm, said shaft being operated by a spring-actuated lever, which is also operated by the adjustable pulley-arm, all the parts arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE REZNOR.

\Vitnesses:

A. J. PALM, OHAs. S. RYDER. 

